Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

MAKROTHUMIA* - Part 5 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Patience, longsuffering, forbearance

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

This week we conclude our study of the Greek noun μακροθυμὶα (Strong's #3115), which means patience, longsuffering, forbearance, and of its verb form μακροθυμὲω (Strong's #3114), which means to persevere, to endure, to suffer long. Μακροθυμὶα is used to express a slow human reaction toward another human being or to express God's waiting long to bring judgment upon Man.

In the first part of our present study, we focused on Galatians 5:22-23 to learn that μακροθυμὶα is part of the fruit of God's Spirit and is used to describe the controlling of human reaction toward others for the purpose of allowing the Spirit of God to perform His will. The second part of our study, taken from Ephesians 4:1-6, taught us the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in Christian fellowship. We saw that true fellowship within the Church and successful ministry to other believers happens only when the Holy Spirit is in control of the human reaction, so that it is God's Spirit ministering, not the fleshly reactions and opinions of people. In the third and fourth parts of the study, taken from 2 Timothy 3:10-12 and 2 Timothy 4:1-4, we focused on the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in the lives of those Christians who are in public ministry. This week we conclude our study by focusing on μακροθυμὶα expressing the Spirit of God holding back and waiting long to bring judgment upon Man. Our Scriptures are 1 Peter 3:18-20 and 2 Peter 3:8-10.

The Example of God's Longsuffering in the Past: 1 Peter 3:18-20

18) Because indeed Christ suffered once concerning our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust ones, in order that he might bring us to God; on the one hand having been put to death in flesh, but on the other hand having been made alive in Spirit,

19)

in which also, after having gone, he preached to the spirits in prison,

In the verses preceding these, Peter has been encouraging Jewish believers to suffer for the sake of the Messiah, Jesus. Then, in verse 18, he presents the example of the Christ who suffered on behalf of unjust people, died, and went to preach to the spirits in prison.

20)

who disobeyed once when the longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα) of God was waiting in the days of Noah, while an ark was being prepared, into which few, that is eight souls, were saved through water.

In these verses, Peter points out that the spirits Christ preached to in prison had disobeyed when the longsuffering of God was continually waiting in the days of Noah, while the ark took 120 years to complete and then carried only eight souls to safety through water. Peter is presenting that God held back his judgment until the ark was completed. This waiting, or holding back, is called longsuffering, our word of study.
Next, we have the example of longsuffering during the present era in which we live.

The Example of God's Longsuffering in the Present: 2 Peter 3:8-10

8)

But let not this one thing be hidden from you, beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

9)

The Lord of the promise does not delay, as some calculate delay; but is longsuffering (μακροθυμὲω) toward us, purposing that any should not perish,^F1 but that all should come to repentance.^F2

Peter references Psalm 90:4, presenting that the Lord's calculation of time is different from our calculation of time. Indeed, since the Lord is not subject to our time domain, what seems to be a long period of time to us is as yesterday to the Lord. Peter calls the delay of the Lord's judgment upon the earth longsuffering —a holding back. This longsuffering is presented as being purposed by the Lord to give those who are perishing opportunity to come to repentance.

10)

But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will be dissolved while burning with heat, and the earth and the works in it will be burned up.

In verse 10, Peter assures his readers that the day of the Lord's judgment upon the earth will come quickly and unexpectedly —as a thief comes in the night. At that time, the heavens and the earth, as we now know them, will be dissolved and burned up.

The Bible presents that the very purpose of God is to hold back judgment, waiting to pour out His wrath upon an unbelieving world, until all who will respond come to repentance. This is the same Spirit of God believers are to submit to in holding back the human response, so that the grace of God might minister to those around us; and that we might experience genuine, spiritual fellowship with other believers.

*MAKROTHUMIA is the English font spelling of the Greek word μακροθυμὶα.

F1: The infinitive of purpose ἀπολὲσθαι, "to perish," is translated νᾶἀπολεσθῶσι, "that they should perish."

F2: The infinitive of purpose ξωρῆσαι, "to come," is translated νᾶἔλθωσιν, "that they should come."

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